The Scoop Blog

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith teamed up with a Southlake-based travel technology company today in an effort to fight human trafficking.

Sabre Holdings launched its “Passport to Freedom” initiative this morning to raise awareness about and help end the hidden crime of human trafficking. The international company provides software to travel agents, airlines, hotels and other parts of the travel industry.

Sabre chairman and CEO Sam Gilliland said statistics show that 50 percent of trafficking victims travel in some way while being exploited.

“We touch so many elements of the travel industry,” Gilliland said at this morning’s press conference. “We think we can be helpful in driving awareness and understanding.”

Pinkett Smith got behind Sabre’s efforts to end human trafficking. Earlier this year, she testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to draw attention to the crime.

“If we get people who are involved in the travel business more aware, we could really put a dent in this thing,” Pinkett Smith said.

As part of the “Passport to Freedom” initiative, Sabre held a training session this morning to teach its employees how to recognize signs of human trafficking. If someone is not making eye contact, seems unsure of their location, is not allowed to answer for themselves or hold their own travel documents and is distrustful of authority, he or she might be being trafficked.

This afternoon, Sabre will sign the tourism Code of Conduct and commit to working to condemn child sex exploitation in its policies and business. It is the first travel technology company to do so.

Sabre also plans to fund scholarships for survivors to become travel agents. The company has committed $30,000 to provide about 100 scholarships over the next year, said Barbra Anderson, director of corporate responsibility for Sabre.

Tekla Roberts, a sex trafficking survivor, said this program in particular will be beneficial to victims who are able to escape the trafficking industry.